In a typical Chicago classroom with a 17.7:1 student-teacher ratio, it's difficult for teachers to address individual learning gaps or adjust pacing to match each student's needs. Personalized 1-on-1 instruction allows tutors to identify exactly where a student is struggling—whether it's understanding ledger accounts, preparing trial balances, or reconciling financial statements—and focus entirely on those areas. This targeted approach typically leads to faster skill development and stronger conceptual understanding than general classroom instruction alone.

Depending on grade level, students work through different accounting concepts: high school students often focus on basic bookkeeping, the accounting equation, and introductory financial statements, while college students tackle more advanced topics like consolidation accounting, forensic accounting, and international accounting standards. Tutors can align instruction with your specific curriculum—whether you're taking a high school business class, AP Seminar with accounting components, or college-level courses like Financial Accounting or Managerial Accounting.

During the initial session, a tutor will assess your current understanding of accounting fundamentals, identify specific areas of difficulty, and learn about your learning style and goals. This might involve reviewing recent assignments, quizzes, or exams to pinpoint exactly where concepts are breaking down. From there, the tutor creates a personalized plan to address gaps and build toward your academic goals, whether that's improving test scores, mastering a specific topic, or preparing for an accounting certification exam.

Students typically see improvement in test and quiz scores within 2-4 weeks of consistent tutoring, especially when focusing on specific weak areas like transaction analysis or financial statement preparation. Beyond grades, personalized instruction builds lasting skills: students develop stronger problem-solving abilities, gain confidence in applying accounting principles to new scenarios, and often find they can tackle homework independently rather than feeling stuck. Many students also report better retention of concepts and improved performance on cumulative exams that require integrating multiple accounting topics.

Look for tutors with strong accounting backgrounds—ideally those with a degree in accounting, business, or finance, or professional experience as accountants or bookkeepers. It's also valuable to find someone with teaching experience or a track record of helping students improve in accounting specifically. When you connect with Varsity Tutors, we match you with tutors who have both subject expertise and proven ability to explain accounting concepts clearly, so you can focus on learning rather than vetting credentials.

Yes—tutors can help you prepare for unit tests, midterms, final exams, and standardized assessments like the CPA exam or accounting certification tests. They'll review key concepts you'll be tested on, work through practice problems similar to what you'll encounter, and help you develop test-taking strategies specific to accounting (like how to approach multi-step journal entry problems or financial analysis questions). This targeted exam prep typically results in stronger performance and reduced test anxiety.

Varsity Tutors makes it simple to connect with an accounting tutor who fits your needs and schedule. You can share details about your current accounting course, specific topics you need help with, and your availability, and we'll match you with a qualified tutor. From there, you'll work directly with your tutor to schedule sessions and begin personalized instruction tailored to your goals.